Ok, I’m all for making your child familiar with cooking and the kitchen, and some of the products available over at Williams Sonoma Kids are likely to do exactly that. They’re colourful, easy to handle and in some cases just plain cool (the manual apple peeler will be mine), but the last item on the page includes one item that doesn’t site well with me. I swear I’m looking at a cheese grater.

I’m in my mid thirties and I can’t come within 3 feet of a grater without shredding my knuckles. Why would I think that a kid in my kitchen would have any more luck? I’m hoping I’ve just misidentified the product as the description calls for a whisk, spatula and tongs, but I don’t see tongs and I do see bloody knuckles.

A few of our friends with recent additions have decided to go the decal route in their kids’ rooms… in some cases its swirly abstract patterns on the walls, in another it’s letters that spell personality traits they hope their child will display.

Other friends have gone the old school route with animals etc painted on the wall to welcome their kids home.

I guess I’d never put much thought into the whole baby monitor thing, but in retrospect it seems obvious that a cheap radio-based device like that would offer little to no privacy.

My personal experience was with walkie talkies when moving from the SF Bay Area back to Canada. We had two vehicles and stayed in touch via walkie talkie, but constantly picked up chatter along the way from business etc.

It seems that some friends of mine have decided to keep their baby monitor active despite their kids growing beyond its need. The reason? They’ve found it to be a good tool for keeping tabs on the neighbourhood. Nothing on TV? No problem, just turn on the monitor and see if there’s any drama across the street or over the back fence.

Clearly there are ethical issues at play here – what do you think, is it wholly the parents to blame, or should the manufacturers address the issue so there is no temptation?

There’s something about really simple items designed for kids. I detest the overly busy crap friends’ parents always seem to gift to them… Why can’t it be ok to get a kid something that’s bright and colourful, without being obnoxious?

Anyway, here’s a good example of a winning product site in my books, Boon Inc. Even the site is beautiful in its simplicity… and gives you a sense of what the products will be like.

In particular I like the following:

Camo CoverallsCome on, who can resist a kid in camo… and camo coveralls to boot? Chalk one up for the small one.

Trio Animal BagOk, so I don’t completely get this one. I understand that its a) a soft plush bag that your child can play on and b) a place where she can store her ‘soft’ toys, however I know that its only a matter of time before her little brother hides a sharp cornered Tonka truck beneath the stuffed animals. Good concept, not entirely sold on the final product.

Snack BallSimple ball with a sliding lid to hold junior’s snacks. Orange and white, clean and simple… and it reminds me of putting carrots and apples in blocks of ice to challenge polar bears at the zoo.

Sorry for the budget post tonight (this morning?) but I’m on the road and even busier than usual. Some may argue that this isn’t really a child’s toy, but I have to believe that anything this consistent and repetitive must have some calming potential.

What am I talking about?

Hidamari and Nohohon toys. Those portly, round headed smiling, solar powered toys that nod as long as the sun will allow. I have to admit that I find them creepy, but I attribute that in part to the fact that our local Hidamari vendor maintains a huge wall of them in clear cases that all smile and nod in time together. I find it all very overwhelming